Melania Trump easing into role of first lady

More than two months into President Donald Trump’s administration, Melania Trump is easing into her role as first lady.

Trump presented the secretary of state’s International Women of Courage Award to a dozen women on Wednesday at the State Department, where she shared an uplifting message for the youth.

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“To the young people here today, I ask you to allow the triumphs exemplified by these heroic women to inspire you in your own lives and to remind yourself that you, too, are capable of greatness,” she said. “I urge you to not be afraid to fail. A failure will never have the power to define you as long as you learn from it. And realize that your first steps will always involve taking a leap of faith, by believing in yourself while choosing to replace fear for hope.”

Trump, in a sense, has only recently begun taking her first steps as first lady. She has largely been absent from the first weeks of her husband’s administration, spending most of her time with their son, Barron, in New York as he finishes out the school year.

But she has been notably active in Washington this week, announcing on Monday that deputy White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham would transition to being her communications director. Trump also joined the president Tuesday evening to host a bipartisan reception with senators and their spouses at the White House.

“Mrs. Trump is working hard on her initiatives while balancing being a mother, a wife and serving the country as the First Lady,” Grisham said in a statement to POLITICO. “The team continues to grow and we look forward to the work ahead.”

Grisham said Trump has been “very busy” since her husband’s inauguration, noting her appearances during state visits from foreign leaders and at occasional bill signings. Trump, Grisham continued, also hosted a women’s empowerment luncheon earlier this month and will host next month’s White House Easter Egg Roll.

On Wednesday, though, her focus was recognizing women.

“I am deeply humbled to be here today to honor these 12 remarkable and inspirational women who have given so much for so many regardless of the unimaginable threat to their own personal safety. Each one of these heroic women has been an extraordinary story of courage, which must inspire each of us to also achieve more than we have ever imagined possible,” she said.

Trump has said she wants to focus on cyberbullying as first lady. In a rare speech days before her husband’s election, she highlighted anti-cyberbullying as “one of the main focuses of my work if I’m privileged enough to become your first lady” — along with working to improve women’s everyday lives.

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As Women’s History Month comes to a close, she focused mostly on the latter Wednesday.

“As leaders of our shared global community, we must continue to work towards gender empowerment and respect for people from all backgrounds and ethnicities, remembering always that we are all ultimately members of one race, the human race,” she said. “Each one of us is uniquely gifted. We must continue to lead a forum of American values as we join with the international community to make our world safer through acts of collaborative and individual bravery.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday that the president shares the same view as his wife on women empowerment.

“The president believes as the first lady said this morning, quote: ‘Wherever women are diminished, the entire world is diminished with them. However, wherever women are empowered, towns, villages, schools and economies are empowered, and together we are all made stronger,’” Spicer said, citing an excerpt from the first lady's remarks. “The Trump administration will continue to work to ensure that the American economy is a place where women can work and thrive.”